Electric valve circuit



Sept 14, 1937.

H. W. LORD ELECTRIC VALVE CIRCUIT Original Filed Jan. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,mix

Harold W. p rd, by

Invent or 1 IS Attorn e y.

, Sqpt. 14, 1937. H. w. LORD ELECTRIC VALVE CIRCUIT Original Filed Jan. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor. Harold W. Liord, y fla /m7 jw/dii s Attorney nussueo Patented Sept. 14, 1937 APR 1 1941 UNITED STATE'S ELECTRIC VALVE CIRCUIT Harold W. Lord, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application January 2, 1936, Serial No. 57,190. Divided and this application July 8, 1936, Serial No. 89,597

11 Claims.

My invention relates to electric valve translating circuits and more particularly to control or excitation circuits for electric valve apparatus.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 57,190, filed January 2,

1936, entitled Electric control system and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

In electric valve translating systems, it is frequently desirable to control the electric valve means in different predetermined ways under different predetermined operating conditions or Within different predetermined ranges of an electrical condition of an associated circuit. For example, where electric valve translating apparatus is employed to interconnect alternating and direct current systems or alternating current systems of the same or different frequencies, there has been evidenced a need for control apparatus of simple arrangement for controlling the electric valve means in different predetermined manners within different predetermined ranges of an electrical quantity, such as the voltage of one of the associated circuits.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved control system for electric valve translating apparatus.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved control system for electric valve apparatus by means of which the electric valve apparatus may be controlled in different predetermined manners within different predetermined ranges of an electrical condition or quantity of an associated electric circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved control circuit for electric valve means having control members in which the phase of the potential impressed on the control members is varied in different predetermined manners within difi'erent predetermined ranges of the voltage of an associated alternating current circuit.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of my invention, I prow'de an electric control system which is susceptible of Varied and modified application where it is desired to provide constant or varying output characteristics of electric valve apparatus under varying electrical conditions of associated circuits. I provide an electric valve translating circuit which may be 50 employed in systems for transmitting energy between alternating and direct current circuits or between alternating current circuits of the same or difierent frequencies. By means of an excitation or control circuit for the electric valve means which comprises a circuit of the non-linear resonant type, as hereinafter described, I provide apparatus for controlling the conductivity of the valve, or valves, to obtain the desired output or operating characteristic. In the specific embodiment illustrated, a non-linear resonant circuit energized from the supply circuit is employed to provide a control potential which is the resultant of a voltage component derived from the capacitance of the resonant circuit and a voltage component which varies in accordance with the supply circuit voltage to control the conductivity of the valves in accordance with an electrical condition, such as the voltage, of the supply circuit. The periodic resultant potential is impressed on the control members of the electric valve means. By the proper design of the nonlinear resonant circuit, the periodic resultant potential may be made to vary in phase in difierent predetermined manners within different predetermined ranges of the supply voltage to eflect a desired control in an operating characteristic of the electric valve means.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention as applied to an electric valve circuit for energizing the field circuit of a dynamo-electric machine; while Fig. 2 represents certain operating characteristics of apparatus embodying my invention. Diagrams I to V of Fig. 3 also represent certain operating characteristics of the apparatus diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, my invention is diagrammatically shown as applied to an electric valve circuit l for supplying direct current to a field winding 3 of a dynamo-electric machine 2, having a three-phase stator winding 4. The electric valve circuit l and the stator winding 4 are energized from a three-phase alternating current circuit 5. The electric valve translating circuit I may comprise any suitable valve aggregate for transmitting energy to the field circuit 3 and I have shown by way of example a pair of electric valves 6 and 1, preferably of the vapor electric type, having anodes 8, cathodes 9 and control electrodes I 0. A transformer ll, having a. secondary winding l2 and an electrical mid-tap I2, is energized from the alternating current circuit 5 through conductors l3, and is employed to connect the valves 6 and 1 for full wave rectification. The field winding 3 of ms.-

'Iii

chine 2 is connected to the electric valve circuit I by means of conductors l5.

To provide means for controlling the conductivity of electric valves 5 and l, I provide an excitation circuit 55 which responds to .an electrical condition of the alternating current circuit 5, to control the voltage impressed upon the respective control electrodes is of valves 5 and l, The excitation circuit l5 may be arranged to control the electric valve circuit l in a manner to provide a predetermined operating characteris: tic over a certain range of voltage of the circuit 5 and to provide a different operating characteristic over a diiferent range of voltages. The excitation circuit l5 comprises a non-linear resonant circuit of the series type employing a capacitance l5, and self-saturating inductance or reactor Ill and an adjustable resistance 83 having a movable tap or contact 55. Conductors 25 are employed to connect the non-linear series circuit to one phase of the alternating current circuit 5. A transformer 2! having a primary winding 22 and a secondary winding 23 and energized from the alternating current circuit 5 by conductors 25 is employed to furnish a sinusoidal voltage with which an electrical quantity of the non-linear circuit is combined to control the conductivity of valves 5 and. i. sultant of the voltage appearing across capacitance l5 and the voltage appearing across winding 23 of transformer M is impressed upon primary winding 25 of transformer 25 by means of conductors 28 and 29. The terminals of the secondary winding 27 are connected to the control electrodes ill of electric valves 5 and l through conductors 55 and self-biasing circuits each comprising a current limiting resistance ill and a capacitance 32. A mid-point 2? or" secondary winding Z'l is connected to the cathodes E3 of electric valves 6 and l by means of a conductor 33.

Although my invention is represented as being applied to a system for energizing the field winding of a dynamo-electriomachine, it should be understood that it may be applied to electric circuits generally. That feature of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 relating to the control of dynamo-electric machines is disclosed and broadly claimed in my copending patent application Serial No. 89,598, filed July 8, 1936, and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

The operation of the embodiment of my invention diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 may be best explained by considering the arrangement when unidirectional current is being supplied to the field winding 5 of the dynamo-electric machine 2 from alternating current circuit 5 by means of electric valves 6 and l and the associated transformer ll. If it be assumed that the voltage of circuit 5 is less than the voltage at which the non-linear circuit resonates, the arrangement will function as a biphase rectifier, and there will be substantial phase coincidence between the voltages impressed on the control electrodes in and the voltages impressed on valves 5 and I. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, if there is substantial phase coincidence between the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes l5 and the voltages impressed between the respective anodes 8 and the cathodes 5, the averagecurrent conducted by the valves will be maximum and the direct current voltage will be maximum. As the phase of the voltage impressed upon the control electrodes it is retarded relative to the voltage impressed be The re-.

tween the anodes 8 and cathodes 9 of the electric valves 5 and l, the average current conducted by the valves will be decreased to effect a decrease in voltage of the direct current circuit M.

In the particular arrangement of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the electric valve circuit I is arranged so that upon decrease in the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5, the voltage of the direct current circuit It may be maintained constant or may be increased or decreased. If it is desired to obtain an increase in the Voltage of the direct current circuit it upon decrease in the voltage of alternating current circuit 5, the excitation circuit i5 is arranged so that during a normal range of voltage of the alternating current circuit 5 the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes ll) of electric valves 5 and l lag the voltages impressed between the respective anodes and the cathodes by an appreciable angle or phase displacement. This phase relationship is accomplished by selecting the constants of the non-linear circuit so that for operation above a predetermined range of voltages of the alternating current circuit 5 the excitation circuit l5 eifects .a retardation in the phase of the voltages impressed on the control electrodes l5. The critical resonance voltage of the non-linear circuit is chosen relative to the Voltage of circuit 5 so that as the voltage of circuit 5 decreases, the phase of the potentials impressed upon the control members 55 is advanced to increase the average current conducted by the valves, eifecting thereby a net increase in the voltage of direct current circuit 14.

The operation of the excitation circuit I5 may be best explained by considering the diagrams of Fig, 3 of the drawings. Referring to Diagram I, the curve a represents the anode-cathode voltage impressed upon one of the electric valves, for example, electric valve 6. This voltage is considerably less than the critical resonance voltage of the non-linear circuit of excitation circuit [5. The curve 2; represents the voltage appearing across the secondary winding 23 of transformer 2i and the curve c represents the voltage appearing across the capacitance l6, while the curve d represents the resultant voltage impressed upon the primary winding 26 of transformer 25. During operation below the critical resonance voltage, it will be apparent that the voltage appearing across the capacitance i6, and represented by curve 0, is relatively small compared with the other voltages existing in the excitation circuit i5 and that the capacitance voltage lags the voltage of circuit 5 by substantially electrical degrees. However, as the voltage of alternating current circuit 5 approaches the critical resonance voltage of the non-linear circuit, represented by curve e of Diagram 1, the voltage of capacitance H5 is increased in magnitude and advanced in phase to effect a retardation of the voltage impressed upon the control electrode l5.

Diagram II represents certain voltages in the excitation circuit as the voltage of the alternating current 5 approaches the resonance voltage. Curve 1 of Diagram II represents the voltage now appearing across the secondary winding 23 of transformer 26 and curve g represents the voltage appearing across the capacitance I 6, while curve It represents the resultant voltage impressed upon the primary winding 25 of transformer 25. It will be understood that as the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5 approaches the critical resonance voltage, the resultant voltage, represented by curve h, impressed upon the primary winding 26 of transformer 25 is retarded in phase relative to the voltage of the alternatingcurrent circuit 5, and hence effects a retardation in phase of the voltage impressed upon the control electrodes ll) of electric valves 6 and 1 relative to the anode-cathode potentials of these valves. Under the conditions of operation represented by the curves of Diagram I, since there is substantial phase coincidence between the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes ID of electric valves 6 and I and the voltages impressed upon the electric valves, the output voltage will be maximum for a certain impressed voltage. However, under the conditions of operation represented by the curves of Diagram II, since the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes ill have been retarded in phase relative to the voltages impressed between the anodes and cathodes, the average current conducted by the electric valves will be substantially less than the average current conducted under the conditions of operation represented in Diagram I. The voltage impressed upon the direct current circuit M by the electric valves 6 and I under the operating conditions represented by the curves of Diagram II, that is, when the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes l lag the voltages impressed upon the electric valves 6 and I by the transformer II, is represented by the curve :i of Diagram III. It should be understood that curve 7' represents the voltage of circuit l4 when there is appreciable inductance in the circuit.

The curves of Diagram IV represent the circuit voltages appearing in the excitation circuit l5 and the phase displacement obtainable by us ing different constants for the elements I6, I! and I8 to obtain a greater phase displacement than that shown in Diagram II. It will be understood that by a proper choice of constants for the non-linear circuit comprising capacitance I6, self-saturating inductance l1 and resistance I8, it is possible to control the range of phase displacementobtainable between the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes of electric valves 6 and 1 and the voltages impressed between the anodes 8 and the cathodes 9 of these valves, and hence to obtain a considerable variation in the control of the voltage of direct current circuit I 4.

Diagram V represents the voltages appearing in the excitation circuit I5 when the voltage of circuit 5 is increased beyond the critical resonance voltage region where the resistance l8 has a suitable value; curve 1 represents the voltage,

appearing across the secondary winding 23 of transformer 2 I, curve 9 represents the voltage appearing across the capacitance l6, and curve It represents the resultant voltage impressed upon the primary winding 26 of transformer 25. It will be noted that the voltage of capacitance I6 is advanced in phase relative to the voltage of transformer winding 23 and is increased in magnitude to effect a decrease in phase displacement between the voltage impressed upon primary winding 26 of transformer and the voltage of the circuit 5 as the latter voltage increases beyond the region of the critical resonance voltage.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings there are shown curves representing the variation in the voltage of the direct current circuit H as a function of the voltage of alternating current circuit 5 for various values of the resistance l8 where the load circuit l4 comprises inductance, Curves k, m, n and 0 represent the relation between the voltage of direct current circuit l4 and the voltage of alternating current circuit 5 for difi'erent' values for the resistance [8, of increasing value in the order named, while curve 1) is merely a reference line. By the choice of values for resistance l8 relative to the voltage of the alternating current supply circuit 5 and the values of capacitance l6 and inductance II, it is possible to obtain a variety of operating characteristics for the apparatus employed. For example, with a relatively high value of resistance for the element I8, represented by curve 0 of Fig. 2, it is possible to obtain a substantially constant voltage in circuit 14 for voltages in circuit 5 above.

a predetermined value. From the point q to the point 0' on curve 0, the increase in the direct current voltage is eifected by the increase in the voltage impressed upon the electric valves 6 and 1. During this range of voltages the circuit is operating below the critical resonance voltage region and as a result thereof there is substantial phase coincidence between the potentials impressed upon the control electrodes l0 and the potentials impressed between the anodes 8 and the cathodes 9 of electric valves 6 and I. At the voltage represented by point 0' of the curve 0, the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5 approaches the critical'resonance voltage region for the excitation circuit I5 and effects thereby a retardation in the phase of the voltage impressed upon the control electrodes Hl. Upon further increase in the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5, there is effected a further retardation in the voltage impressed upon the control electrodes to maintain a substantially constant voltage of the direct current circuit I4 represented by the portion of curve 0 beyond point 0'. By choosing a smaller value of resistance for the element [8, it is possible to obtain operating characteristics represented by the curves is, m and n.

The operating characteristic represented by curve 121. of Fig, 2 is of particular interest since it shows substantially linear increase in value of the direct current voltage for increases in the alternating current voltage between the points q and m. Upon further'increase in the alternating current voltage into the region of the critical resonance voltage of the excitation circuit l5, represented by the curves of Diagram IV of Fig. 3, there is effected a retardation in the phase displacement of the resultant excitation circuit voltage h relative to the voltage e of the alternating current circuit 5 to effect a decrease in the voltage of direct current circuit I4 represented by the portion of the curve between points m and m". For voltages greater than the voltage corresponding to the point m" there is effected a progressive advancement in the phase of the voltages impressed upon the control electrodes I 0 relative to the voltages impressed upon electric valves 6 and 1, which increases the average current conducted by electric valves 6' and I to increase the voltage of the direct current circuit M. The phase relationships of the voltages appearing in excitation circuit l5 within the range of voltages represented by m and m" of curve 111., are represented in Diagram IV of Fig. 3, while the phase relationships for voltages of circuit 5 having a greater value than that represented by point m on curve m are shown in Diagram V.

If the constants of the excitation circuit l5 are chosen to obtain an operating characteristic as represented by the curve n of Fig. 2, the electric valve circuit I may be made to operate to control the energization of the field winding 3 of the dynamo-electric machine 2 to maintain a predetermined pull-out torque under varying voltage conditions of circuit 5. If the excitation circuit I5 is designed to operate in the region beyond 17. on curve 10, the excitation circuit will eifect an'increase in the voltage impressed upon direct current circuit It as the voltage of alternating current circuit decreases. In this manner, as the Voltage of the alternating current circult is decreased, the energization of the field winding3 will be increased to maintain a predetermined minimum pull-out torque. Of course, to obtain this characteristic the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5 must be in the region of the critical resonance voltage of the nonlinear circuit of excitation circuit l5. The rates at which the energization of the field winding 3 is varied in response to variations in the voltage of the alternating current circuit 5 may be controlled by choosing various different values for the resistance l8.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to a particular system of connections and as embodying various devices diagrammatically shown, it Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention, and I,therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a load circuit, electric valve means interconnecting said circuits, and means comprising a non-linear resonant circuit energized from said supply circuit and a source of alternating voltage for controlling the conductivity of said valve means in a predetermined manner for voltages of said supply circuit below a predetermined'value and for controlling the conductivity of said valve means in a different manner for voltages above said predetermined value.

2. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a direct current load circuit, electric valve means interconnecting said circuits, and means for controlling the conductivity of said valve means comprising a source of alternating voltage and a non-linear resonant circuit having a critical resonant voltage energized from said alternating current circuit for obtaining a periodic electrical quantity having a substantially constant phase displacement relative to the b voltage of said supply circuit for values of voltage of said supply circuit less than said critical value and having a different phase displacement for constant phase displacement relative to the voltage of said supply circuit for voltages of said supply circuit within a predetermined range and having a progressive retardation in phase relative to the. voltage of said supply circuit for volt- 5zages beyond said predetermined range.

4. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current load circuit, an electric valve having a control electrode and interconnecting said circuits, and means for controlling the conductivity of said electric valve comprising a source of alternating voltage of substantial phase coincidence with the voltage of said alternating current circuit and a non-linear resonant circuit for impressing upon said control electrode a periodic potential having a substantially constant phase displacement relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit for voltages of said alternating current circuit Within a predetermined range and having an increasing phase displacement for voltages above said predetermined range.

5. In combination, an alternating current supply circuit, a direct current load circuit, an electric valve having a control electrode interconnecting said circuits, means for controlling the conductivity of said electric valve comprising a source of alternating voltage and a non-linear resonant circuit energized from said supply circuit for impressing upon said control electrode a voltage having an increasing phase displacement relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit for voltages of said supply circuit within a predetermined range and having a decreasing phase displacement for voltages above said predetermined range.

6. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current circuit, an electric valve having a control electrode interconnecting said circuits, an excitation circuit for controlling the conductivity of said electric valve comprising a source of alternating potential and a non-linear resonant circuit comprising a serially-connected resistance, a self-saturating inductance and a capacitance, and means responsive to the resultant of said alternating voltage and the voltage appearing across said capacitance for impressing upon said control electrode a periodic voltage having a substantially constant phase displacement relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit for voltages of said alternating current circuit within a predetermined range and having a predetermined variable relationship relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit for voltages exceeding said predetermined range.

7. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current circuit, an electric valve interconnecting said circuits and having a control member, and means comprising a source of alternating potential and a non-linear resonant circuit for providing a periodic control voltage for energizing said control member to control the conductivity of said electric valve to maintain a substantially constant voltage in said direct current circuit when the voltage of said alternating current circuit exceeds a predetermined maximum value, said non-linear circuit being arranged to maintain substantial phase coincidence between said periodic voltage and the voltage of said alternating current circuit for voltages thereof below said predetermined maximum value and for retarding the phase of said periodic voltage for Voltages above said maximum value.

8. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current circuit, electric valve means interconnecting said circuits and having a control member, and means for controlling the conductivity of said valve means comprising a source of alternating voltage and a non-linear resonant circuit energized from said alternating current circuit for impressing on said control member a periodic voltage having a predetermined phase displacement relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit within a predetermined range of voltages of said alternating current circuit and having different predetermined phase displacements for voltages below said range and having still different phase displacements for voltages above said range.

9. In combination, an alternating current cir-- cuit, a direct current circuit, electric valve means interconnecting said circuits having a control member, and an excitation circuit comprising a source of alternating potential of substantial phase coincidence with the voltage of said alternating current circuit and a non-linear resonant circuit energized from said alternating current circuit including a serially connected resistance, a saturable inductance and a capacitance and means responsive to the voltage of said source and the voltage appearing across said capacitance for impressing on said control member a resultant periodic potential having a substantially constant phase displacement relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit within a predetermined range of voltages of said alternating current circuit and having a progressively changing phase displacement for voltages of said alternating current circuit above said range.

10. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current circuit, electric translating apparatus interconnecting said circuits including electric valve means having a control member, and means for controlling an electrical condition of said direct current circuit in accordance with an electrical condition of said alternating current circuit including a non-linear resonant circuit connected to said alternating current circuit and a source of alternating voltage of substantial phase coincidence with the voltage of said alternating current circuit for impressing on said control member a periodic potential having different predetermined phase relationships relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit within different predetermined ranges of voltages of said alternating current circuit.

11. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a direct current circuit, electric translating apparatus interconnecting said circuits including electric valve means having a control member, and means for controlling an electrical condition of said direct current circuit including a non-linear resonant circuit connected to said alternating current circuit and a source of alternating voltage of substantial phase coincidence with the voltage of said alternating current circuit for impressing on said control member a periodic potential having a predetermined phase relationship relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit within a predetermined range of voltages of said alternating current circuit to control said electrical condition of said direct current circuit in a predetermined manner within said range and having a different predetermined phase relationship relative to the voltage of said alternating current circuit within a different predetermined range of voltages of said alternating current circuit for controlling said electrical condition in a different predetermined manner within said second mentioned range.

HAROLD W. LORD. 

